I'm Here
by littlegirlgonemad
Summary: Over the years, the many times that Rose and Scorpius were there for each other...


**I'm Here**

The Sorting Hat had delivered its verdict.

_Slytherin!_

And there was a shocked silence.

A redhead slipped out from under the frayed brim and staggered, dazed, to the Slytherin House table.

She picked up her goblet and sipped her pumpkin juice, trying to ignore the stares.

She set her goblet down, nervously, the chink of metal against wood jarring in the heavy silence.

And then the whispers began.

_A Weasley? In Slytherin?_

_Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley's daughter not in Gryffindor?_

And she felt her eyes sting with tears.

She looked down at her fingers, clasped in her lap, determined not to cry.

Someone tapped her shoulder and she looked up, nervously.

_I'm here._ Whispered the blond boy _It's okay. I'll help you get through this._

She gave him a watery smile.

**...**

The blond squinted at the stands, looking for the tell-tale flash of red that announced his best friend.

She was nowhere to be seen.

He was nervous, and he felt like throwing up.

What if his broom stopped in midair and threw him to the ground?

What if he couldn't catch the Snitch in time?

What if…

His mind reeled under the nightmares he'd had while agonising about the outcome of his first Quidditch match.

He was terrorised by the thought of the whole school watching him.

Would he be able to better the Gryffindor Seeker?

What if he couldn't?

Would all of Slytherin House hate him for ever?

He pulled on his gloves, chewing on his lower lip nervously.

He heard the swish of a cloak behind him and he turned.

She was there, the redhead.

_I'm here. _She whispered. _You'll do just fine._

He shot her a relieved smile.

…

The redhead looked around her helplessly.

She wondered when the Professors had set them so much homework.

She had barely three hours to complete all of it.

Not enough time to write all the assignments perfectly.

McGonagall wanted twelve inches on Animagi, Neville wanted two rolls of parchment on the uses of Bubotuber puss.

She didn't even want to think of the Dream Diary for Divination, or the thirteen inches on the Kappa for DADA, or the fourteen inches on Merlin-knew-what for Potions.

Just enough time to scribble together some garbled version of the facts.

She sighed, resigned in her knowledge that her marks that week would suffer.

How her mother managed all her homework with boys like her Dad and Uncle Harry as friends, she couldn't fathom.

She reached for a quill when someone burst into the empty common room.

_I'm here, _announced the blond boy. _We'll get your homework done perfectly._

She offered him a grateful smile.

…

The blond sat behind the statue of the tapestry and cried.

He was distraught at the news his family owl had delivered that morning.

His Grandfather Lucius had passed on in his sleep.

He had been close to his grandfather, helping him banish the trauma of the war.

And now he was gone.

His heart ached for his Grandmother Narcissa, whose world had revolved around her husband.

He worried about his father, who would miss _his_ father's presence.

The blond felt the tears flow down his cheeks relentlessly.

This was the first time he'd cried in years.

The first time he'd felt utterly lost.

He didn't know how to stop the pain.

The redhead squeezed herself behind the tapestry, beside him.

_I'm here_, murmured her soft voice. _It's okay, crying helps._

He gave her a small smile.

…

The redhead hovered around outside the Prefect's carriage on the Hogwart's Express.

She was nervous.

She was a Granger-Weasley.

She was a Slytherin.

And now a Prefect.

She looked down at her shiny badge, she'd worked for it throughout.

Her perfect grades, her excellent Quidditch, her behaviour.

Everything.

Could she live up to everyone's expectations, including her own?

Could she do that and break stereotypes?

How should she enter the carriage?

Would people judge her or look at her strangely?

She felt her palms begin to get moist.

She wiped them against her skirt and smiled nervously at two giggling first-years.

Suddenly someone cleared their throat behind her.

_I'm here_, laughed the blond _lets go in together._

She smiled at him happily.

…

The blond stood at the shores of the Black Lake.

The moon shining bright in the dark still waters of the lake.

A ripple passed through the water.

He was sure it was the fabled Giant Squid.

The wind whispered through the tall tress of the Forbidden Forest.

But he noticed none of the poetic beauty of the night.

He had just got his heart broken by a beautiful Ravenclaw.

She had strung him along, lead him on.

Mercilessly.

And then, when the boy she _really_ wanted noticed her and got jealous, she dropped him like a hot potato.

But he'd thought he'd loved her.

That she'd loved him.

But she broke his heart.

Someone approached from his left- the redhead.

_I'm here _she said gently, sending a spark down his spine_ she didn't deserve you._

He sent a dazzling, yet slightly confused smile her way.

**...**

The redhead sat alone outside the Three Broomsticks.

Huddled in numerous coats shielding herself from the February cold.

The wind was chill and the snow fell softly.

Someone had charmed the air so it fell like pink confetti.

She glanced at her watch wondering whether he'd stood her up.

Whether she'd imagined the whole thing.

She gazed across the road at the many couples in Honeydukes, laughing with one another.

Enjoying themselves.

She wished he were here.

He'd asked her after all.

She hadn't begged or forced him.

She _had_ been lead to believe that he cared for her in more than a Platonic way.

He was a half hour late.

Where had he gotten to?

She was just about to leave when a voice called from behind her.

_I'm here! _The blond cried _I wanted everything to be perfect on our first date!_

She sent him a shy, joyous smile.

…

The blond pulled at a loose thread on his black tuxedo.

He was sure that he looked like a maniacal vampire with his pale skin and crazed eyes.

He knew she was making the biggest mistake of her life, marrying an idiot like him.

But she was adamant.

She had been since he'd blundered through a sorry excuse for a proposal like a fool.

He peered out from behind the door.

The guests were flooding in.

He hadn't known she had so many relatives.

If he had, he'd have agreed to her brilliant plan for elopement.

But he didn't want a scandal.

His best man walked in and tapped his watch, smirking.

The blond took a deep breath and walked out to the altar.

He saw nothing, no one.

And then she walked down the aisle, her red hair her matching the exact shade of her father's.

She was a vision in white and he felt himself choke up.

She smiled at him.

Her amusement shining clear in her blue eyes.

He couldn't wait till she reached him.

He wanted get over with the ceremony and be out of the public eye.

She reached the altar and took his hand.

_I'm here _she whispered for him alone _I always will be._

He gave her an overjoyed smile…

~littlegirlgonemad~

**Author's Note: Well? Thoughts? Review and let me know, please!**


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